what always impressed me in Audis is how well they age compared to BMWs, and even Mercedes. Get a brand new car, and of course they're all shiny and perfect.. but 5 years down the road, you'll notice that Audis hold up a lot better.
GraveDiggerIII I can contest to that. I have had numerous MB, BMW's and Audi's. I now have 3 Audi's and they all have been very dependable and love the Quattro. My old A4 that my brother's son now drives has 275,000 miles on it and runs great. My A6 has 123,000 and has been great too. One of the biggest notes is the interior fit and finish. Leather, materials, etc. still look like new after 10 years. Everything holds up better especially over the BMW interior.
+Supplements4TheWin Let me tell you, there are so many people out there who "comment" but don't know the facts. I've been driving for 40 years. Raced a little and modified many of cars. I own 4 Audi's, my Father has an A8L, my aunt has an A6 so I can speak with some credibility. My Audi's have been great and very reliable too. No major issues and only a few small issues over the years and miles. Personally, I think most of it is how people treat their cars and then blame it on the mfg. when something happens that they should have taken care of our done preventative maintenance. So, it sounds like you are one of those guys, (like me) that takes care of your vehicles. You will love the fit and finish of your Audi for many miles and years then...
The Audi A4 2.0t with the S/LINE competition pack and the 6MT is one of my favorite cars to drive. I've driven tons of different cars having worked in the car industry and that one still stands out. More fun then the s4 if you ask me!
This is my favorite segment on /DRIVE. I love Chris Harris and I enjoy his reviews on cars. I like to see him driving the car, showing the interior, etc. Well done, Chris!
i like German cars, but the the Mercedes and BMW's are too common, I prefer an Audi as it is more unique and different, what a beautiful car to be honest.
I don't know if it's the music or the stat bars but these videos remind me of something you'd see on a video game like Forza or Grand Turismo. I really like these keep up the great work!
Something about the Audi cabin = interior quality. I have an S5 (which has very similar interior materials except better seats), the interior quality is so much more superior than the new 3 series. True, it you like driving a RWD car (and don't care about creaking plastics), BMW can't be beat at this price range, but for people who like that solid feeling and not that drifting sensation, A4 is a very solid pick.
You think all RWD cars are about that "drifting" sensation? Even the normal 3 series and C class with open differentials? It's about inherent chassis balance and poise, especially in the BMW. It's something that Audi has consistently failed to deliver in it's rivalling cars. As Chris pointed out in the video. Not all people need, feel, enjoy or understand this. If you don't, then an Audi will probably suffice for you.
Archibalt3000 Yeah yeah yeah.... BMW fan boys make me laugh. "Inherit balance and poise oh yeah FTW"! And I bet you hear all of that from pros like Chris... without going to autocross or track day even once. So go easy on the snobbishness.
kevinmsft I'm not a BMW fanboy, but you made it clear that you are an Audi fanboy. Like I said, not everyone understands. And for people you an Audi will tock all the boxes. For people like me, it won't. And yes I do regularly go to trackdays. I'm not a "pro", and neither is Chris Harris by the way, but it's simply somehting I love doing. Don't hate something just because you don't understand it. No go enjoy your non-creaking interior, snob.
Archibalt3000 Yeah, it's not about "drifting sensation" (lol), but rather not having that torque steering in the wheel and the massive understeering. If that makes you feel like you "drift", you have driven too much FWD... ;-) He has a point about the interior though, BMW 3's have gotten comparatively a bit worse for each model lately. I feel like the quality was better in the E46 I had compared to the F30 I have now. Not bad, but I have to say, not all that much better than any other standard car apart from the steering wheel.
The F30 interior doesn't creak, but the one we had for testing had a decent number of trim issues-which were not exclusive to our car. The iDrive screen looks tacked on, you can actually see the gaps between the different parts and the edge where it mounts to the dash was uneven. The silver fascia on the center console(the bit where the stick is) didn't match up to the black plastic is was mounted on, which is the same problem with the door grab handles, the plastic fascia doesn't meet up with the plastic behind it. It's not a bad interior, but compared to an A4(even a B7 and B6) it feels quite flimsy in places.
Where are the petrolhead driving reviews gone? Chris Harris doing percentage-based car tests is just like buying a Zonda R for everyday driving... In addition: this rating scheme isn't quite well-balanced IMHO... how come a 4-wheel drive sedan only gets 3 out of 5 traction points... plus: you need swiss-army-knife-like car to actually get a good rating here because its just 5 point to score per category without an actual weighting or something like that...
I think the /Drive staff just got together a warehouseful of random cars they could loan from dealerships, then gave the presenters the keys to the warehouse and said "Earn your keep" Not complaining, it's quite nice to see more variety :)
warfl4g You confuse me. There are quattro versions of everything that Audi makes. It just means it's 4WD. Yes, back in the day it was special and unique and rallylike, nowadays it's kinda meh...
Pointless thing to say 'BMW 6 cylinder is a nicer motor' We're taking 4 cylinder here, it's a different category performance and price wise.. In fact both merc and bmw despite being newer have less powerful 2litre engines and 6 cylinder Audi beats 6 cylinder BM in terms of performance. Look s4 vs 335i.
I'm not American, but I do live here, and I can tell you that most people here couldn't live without and automatic car. They like to multitask a lot while driving, and putting a manual tranny on a vehicle would make things really difficult for most of them.
***** Very true. A lot of people here think you're silly for buying a luxury car in manual. Also, most dealers don't keep manual cars on the lot to test drive.
If this A4 was REAR WHEEL DRIVE the driver would be nutting all over his self saying how much better it was than a bimmer or merc. So sick of these people saying Audi is not as good as the aforementioned because all they want to do is drift and slide sideways like a juvenile 2 year old child! BULLSHIT!
Love my Audi A4, can take it just about anywhere and I enjoy the comfortability along with a sporty performance to ensure both a fun and comfortable ride. A jack of all trades imho
In what ways do merc and BMW do it better? I wish that was explained more in detail, since this is probably why majority of us watch this review. To see, which one is better of these three and why.
I really love jow the presenters have been comparing the NVH on all the cars and the pther factor that an everyday drive consist of...the content is bang on all the videos
Anything with Chris Harris is a must see ! Glad to see him in more clips. It was just not enough to see him weekly. Thank you /Drive ! I think i have a guy crush on him...whatever that is. It started when he reviewed my car (clio rs 2009) and he liked it.
My dad has the new S5, probably the same gearbox (S-Tronic) and it's pretty impressive. Gorgeous exhaust note and the quattro system is incredible, you don't usually notice it, but we sure did when we tried launch control in a foot of snow.
Same, the 3.0 TDI Quattro 245 ps is a efficient beast! Im not that in love with the s5 because its not that powerful... the rs5 is an argument for me to not buy a diesel but not the s5. I personally drive the 2.0 TDI Quattro a4 avant which has "only" 177 ps but is still impressive as fuck. and a genious allrounder!
My mom has an A3 and we live in Florida, she's always bringing it back to get little bits replaced. The humidity and heat wrecks all the plastic-y bits, and minor electrical issues are irritating. I somehow broke the handle closing the door once, and it's the only way to close the door lol.
As you mentioned, the Merc C-class and 3 series always seems to be a step ahead.perhaps you are right and I cant argue it with you.but None the less, the A4 looks a lot more stylish than the two that look like an old man's car design.
Please announce when there's Chris Harris on the car! And Chris when you review this totally normal cars try to do things you always do and we love! For example my opinion of the audi can be different if it can be drifted by you!
I have a 2016 A4 Quattro spec’d just like this car but in silver. It’s been a gem to own for the last 2.5 years and 45,000mi. Haven’t had a single problem now at 85,000mi.
Now I'm back to not getting these videos again. If there's going to be comparisons, at least test drive the comparisons your comparing so that we can see how they stack up. Unless i'm just jumping the gun here & there'll be a C Class and 3 series review comin shortly!
Chris, now that it seems that you're hanging in California a lot, you should pop into Joe Rogan experience. He had Matt Farah already in, and said that he would really want you there!
Not surprised by his comments considering how old this B8 generation is now. It debuted back in 2009 and has had very few changes since then. The new B9 is due out in another year or so.
Judging from the fact that we have the same place in all the videos, filming vantage points are identical and that Chris, Matt and Musto are all in these videos, I'm guessing that they've shot all of them back to back in one afternoon after getting all the cars together. Am I right, Drive? :)
Paulo Nascimento The 370Z was terrible, the Escape was nice but WAY too expensive, the Corvette sucked (because it was basically a rental-spec version), and that's really all that stands out at this point. We did so many it was kind of a blur.
I'd be interested to see a future review of the A3 sedan in comparison to this. I really think the A3 sedan is going to touch on a mark that the old A4 had.
Yea, I agree. I have a 2008 A4 quatrro and it's way more fun to drive than the new A4. What I really wanted was an A3 quattro for the hatch, but they are pretty much impossible to find as a CPO in Southern CA, or were at the time I bought my car. If I was going to buy another Audi sedan, I would get a CPO A6 with the 3.0T. THAT is a machine and a half. Wife gets the next car, though and she voted for the TT.
For an average in class ranking, it makes me curious what products constitute highly recommended and must have. What metrics define that for this price point? I tend to question reviews of budget level products once a person has experience with much higher end products. I assume the review isn't done on an absolute scale, or at least they don't really seem to be for the mix of car reviews I've seen so far. The goal seems to be where does the car fit within its class. However, I always question how much bias exists from the absolute scale once a person must come down to a more budget level product and then compare that against other budget level products within a similar market segment and price level. In the end, which products do better and specifically why? It would be nice to see more technical comparison between cars. One can say X is better than Y generically, but it doesn't really convey specific details that would be useful for a potential buyer. I watch these reviews and tend to come away from them asking why did car X score the way it did? I don't know because the details tend to lack a little bit. It becomes useful to include both more raw data and direct comparison of behavior/feel. For example, you say BMW and Mercedes do better for driver enjoyment. Why? It's not explained in the video. Are the bushings and mounts in the Audi softer and creates more isolation and disconnect from the driving experience? Are the controls and inputs less crisp and precise? Is the brake bite and modulation vague and decreases confidence? You and your coworkers have enough knowledge of cars that you should be able to get into some specific detail on the good and bad of a car and pull out specifics to really highlight a car's unique traits or faults. The reviews tend to come out slightly soft in information. Sometimes it's not about pure information but rather how information is presented. One can cleverly describe an aspect of a car that speaks volumes of the car's design, feel, or performance without having to go into great detail or really dig into specifics. I will give an interesting example. I enjoyed the Porsche Panamera review, and I want to highlight one tidbit from that review. Mike talks about the button placement as intuitive in that he can simply guess where a button is without looking and he's almost always right. This is an abstract presentation that speaks volumes about the ergonomics of the car and controls layout while investing very little time. Then again, these do seem to purposely be short reviews, and maybe that's the rub. You end up constrained in what can be presented and what can be compared within that time frame. I also don't know how much time you get with the cars and how much time you have to make the reviews. I don't even know if these are one take bits or you have time to plan out the discussion and make use of several takes to fully develop the review. I just don't know your constraints when producing these test/drive videos. All I know is I'm often left wanting to know more and feeling like the cars are only half explained. These reviews are entertaining, and I enjoy that they are a part of the Drive network, but I question their usefulness to the audience if it presents only half way.
Unlike BMW, most of Audi's winning race cars aren't based on road cars. A company can throw unlimited resources just to make one thing right, but it's hard for them to make everything right. LFA and TS020 are great examples.
Because that's not their aim. Hell, look at the original Quattro. They didn't take the Quattro rallying to show people that they can make race cars. They took the Quattro rallying to show people that 4WD (or AWD if you've lost a wheel) doesn't have to be a heavy and cumbersome beast like a Geländerwagen or a Defender 110. Audi, quattro, and S/RS have never been about precision and driveability. They've only been about accessibility. The BMW M3 is fun to drive, the C63 AMG is an adrenaline-rush on wheels, and the RS5 makes going quickly easy and effortless. Personally if it was for everyday driving, I'd go Audi (and then save up for a Z4 or a secondhand Boxter for some weekend fun).
Thank you for proving my point once again. Yes, Audi is capable to make one single successful model. And yet again, Group B rally cars are completely different from road cars. Just as DTMs. Take Meercedes, they have made icons like 190E, Silver Arrow, CLK AMG, McLaren's, and they defined "German Racing Silver". Mercedes also supplies engines for Pagani and etc. Meanwhile, BMW's M3's are constantly winning races, no matter in which form, in factory or private teams, ever since the E30 chassis. BMW also made the best F1 engine M12/13 in the late 80s. McLaren F1, world's fastest NA production car, is powered by BMW. Go to a track day, see what cars are on the track. Pull up NASA's track record of ANY track, you won't be surprised to see no Audis on the lists. Going fast is not easy, no matter in which car.
TurboSpeeder Well maybe not easy. But effortless. That's always been the whole point of quattro. To make sure you've always got the traction to accelerate, decelerate and corner. And why would I look for track days? That clearly was never the Audi roadcar domain (unless one counts the R8 GT). If anything I'd look for which of the three German cars (Audi, BMW, Mercedes) will get me home in relative comfort while the roads are covered in snow. EDIT: You mustn't confuse ineptitude, with indifference.
Chris Harris, I'm waiting for your Mk7 Golf R review, but I'm hoping that one will be the type you turn the ESP off and try to get it as sideways as possible. I would also be cool to watch you drift a C7 Corvette Stingray Z51 in manual guise (I know you got tortured with an automatic last time).
Please re-do this Review and take along the 3 series and C class. Do it in Michigan in the winter. Even take the 328xi and the C300 4MATIC. The A4 would be the head of the class! Trust me I test drove all 3....and I own a 2013 A4 2.0T!
Bring back 'CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS'!!!!! Sorry bro but much preferred the way you did your shows before Christmas. I used to look forward to the fortnightly upload because I knew when I saw your name I was going to get an interesting unique video and commentary that in my opinion was simply the very best on the whole internet...and with big hitters like Autocar, Evo, Motortrend (and the like) that's saying a lot! This new stuff..., it's not rubbish, but you seem somehow constrained by the new format. It doesn't suit you or Matt Farra. You guys need to get back to doing your own thing.
I'm not sure why you'd mention performance not being great when there are the S4 and the RS4 to compare to other 6 or 8 cylinder cars. A base C class and a base 3 series are not fast at all and don't have many features for the price, not to mention they don't look all that great (although the CLA does so future Mercedes might look great).
Great review, except that the ratings surprisingly upset my mojo. I understand this is a review and not your usual C.H gig, but i'd prefer the ratings be left out.
With BMW, Mercedes, and Audi in this class, lets be honest, it's more about which brand you like. Of course car x will feel better if that's the brand you like. The arguments below are just fanboys.
In this almost 5m Video, The Bar Graphs started showing up as soon as 3m o.O Really dislike this presentation and there seems to be 'less' in video review.
Drive, please stop doing this. I'm sure there are some people who enjoy these bullet point reviews, but this is a step back for you. I can get this kind of generic information from any of a ton of automotive sources already, some arguably better at it. I watch Drive to get content I won't get anywhere else. Don't delude your awesome product.
I love you Chris Harris, but I hate to say that this review and the one yesterday from Mike Musto are a little bit lacking in details. I like the short and sweet, but at least give a couple performance specs and maybe engine specs...?
For God's sake, if you are going to have Chris Harris do reviews, let him do it in his own style, not these generic ones that TEST/DRIVE does. Anyone else can do these reviews. Save Chris's talent for more material on CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS
Drive, I really appreciate your guys' willingness to evolve your programming and to try new things, but these past couple weeks have been a bit of a disappointment. If I want pure facts, I'll watch (and fall asleep) watching KBB or Consumer Reports' videos. You guys have always stood for more in the content you bring to the viewer.
The A4 seems the most luxury biased car of the class. It's just a nice car, it's not an amazing driver like the RWD BMW or Merc, but it's a nice handsom well built sedan. If they stopped pushing sportiness so much and sorted out the suspension rather than the current not so good setup, it'd be perfect.
Why would you review a car in its last year before a complete redesign? That's the equivalent of putting the last gen steel "Rangey" against the new Cayenne just before they came out with the new aluminum model.
kevinmsft Most companies look similar, brand recognition - The difference I think is that Audi preserves their beautiful design across the line up, while BMW and Mercedes (especially 2011+) ends up absolutely butchering certain models
kevinmsft I can look through thermal sights and notice the difference between a T-72 and a T-55 at 2000 meters but I cannot tell modern audis apart to save my life. They literally all look the same just have slightly different dimensions.
ellomirza So then your admission is that you prefer to have your Mercs appear to have been designed with a Toyota-Hyundai style approach/theme? Because those in the know can see it.. you don't? cmon who ya kiddin'!?
Same car but with automatic gearbox has Launch control, and it is an incredible feeling, when you can drive off the line from 99% of the cars in city traffic!!! 6.5 sec to 100 in a family sedan with just a little more than 200 hp!
Audio mixing could use some work in some spots. Tough to hear the speech with the downtempo atmospheric crap in the background. Little more info on the car's capabilities would be great, this was too short.
Changing the reviewer for these vvideos make it highly subjective and makes it difficult because you do not have the same baseline for comparison. Please give it a little thought and keep Chris or whoever for these video reviews. All the best for you guys at /Drive.
what always impressed me in Audis is how well they age compared to BMWs, and even Mercedes. Get a brand new car, and of course they're all shiny and perfect.. but 5 years down the road, you'll notice that Audis hold up a lot better.
ya indeed
GraveDiggerIII I can contest to that. I have had numerous MB, BMW's and Audi's. I now have 3 Audi's and they all have been very dependable and love the Quattro. My old A4 that my brother's son now drives has 275,000 miles on it and runs great. My A6 has 123,000 and has been great too. One of the biggest notes is the interior fit and finish. Leather, materials, etc. still look like new after 10 years. Everything holds up better especially over the BMW interior.
+Supplements4TheWin Yes. Still runs great. My A6 now has 148K on it and it also.
Keep oil changed with M10w-40w every 5-6k miles. Great cars.
+Supplements4TheWin Let me tell you, there are so many people out there who "comment" but don't know the facts. I've been driving for 40 years. Raced a little and modified many of cars. I own 4 Audi's, my Father has an A8L, my aunt has an A6 so I can speak with some credibility. My Audi's have been great and very reliable too. No major issues and only a few small issues over the years and miles. Personally, I think most of it is how people treat their cars and then blame it on the mfg. when something happens that they should have taken care of our done preventative maintenance.
So, it sounds like you are one of those guys, (like me) that takes care of your vehicles. You will love the fit and finish of your Audi for many miles and years then...
so true
The Audi A4 2.0t with the S/LINE competition pack and the 6MT is one of my favorite cars to drive. I've driven tons of different cars having worked in the car industry and that one still stands out. More fun then the s4 if you ask me!
Can I say it enough? Ditch the scoring system. It's stupid. You guys are misguiding those who don't really know too much about cars.
This is my favorite segment on /DRIVE. I love Chris Harris and I enjoy his reviews on cars. I like to see him driving the car, showing the interior, etc. Well done, Chris!
i like German cars, but the the Mercedes and BMW's are too common, I prefer an Audi as it is more unique and different, what a beautiful car to be honest.
Tampoco la pavada es más lindo un lambo
Convengamos que el modelo parece un passat
I love these new segments guys. Short and sweet, keep 'em coming.
I don't know if it's the music or the stat bars but these videos remind me of something you'd see on a video game like Forza or Grand Turismo. I really like these keep up the great work!
Something about the Audi cabin = interior quality.
I have an S5 (which has very similar interior materials except better seats), the interior quality is so much more superior than the new 3 series.
True, it you like driving a RWD car (and don't care about creaking plastics), BMW can't be beat at this price range, but for people who like that solid feeling and not that drifting sensation, A4 is a very solid pick.
You think all RWD cars are about that "drifting" sensation? Even the normal 3 series and C class with open differentials? It's about inherent chassis balance and poise, especially in the BMW. It's something that Audi has consistently failed to deliver in it's rivalling cars. As Chris pointed out in the video.
Not all people need, feel, enjoy or understand this. If you don't, then an Audi will probably suffice for you.
Archibalt3000 Yeah yeah yeah.... BMW fan boys make me laugh. "Inherit balance and poise oh yeah FTW"! And I bet you hear all of that from pros like Chris... without going to autocross or track day even once. So go easy on the snobbishness.
kevinmsft
I'm not a BMW fanboy, but you made it clear that you are an Audi fanboy.
Like I said, not everyone understands. And for people you an Audi will tock all the boxes. For people like me, it won't. And yes I do regularly go to trackdays. I'm not a "pro", and neither is Chris Harris by the way, but it's simply somehting I love doing.
Don't hate something just because you don't understand it. No go enjoy your non-creaking interior, snob.
Archibalt3000 Yeah, it's not about "drifting sensation" (lol), but rather not having that torque steering in the wheel and the massive understeering. If that makes you feel like you "drift", you have driven too much FWD... ;-)
He has a point about the interior though, BMW 3's have gotten comparatively a bit worse for each model lately. I feel like the quality was better in the E46 I had compared to the F30 I have now. Not bad, but I have to say, not all that much better than any other standard car apart from the steering wheel.
The F30 interior doesn't creak, but the one we had for testing had a decent number of trim issues-which were not exclusive to our car. The iDrive screen looks tacked on, you can actually see the gaps between the different parts and the edge where it mounts to the dash was uneven. The silver fascia on the center console(the bit where the stick is) didn't match up to the black plastic is was mounted on, which is the same problem with the door grab handles, the plastic fascia doesn't meet up with the plastic behind it. It's not a bad interior, but compared to an A4(even a B7 and B6) it feels quite flimsy in places.
Where are the petrolhead driving reviews gone? Chris Harris doing percentage-based car tests is just like buying a Zonda R for everyday driving...
In addition: this rating scheme isn't quite well-balanced IMHO... how come a 4-wheel drive sedan only gets 3 out of 5 traction points... plus: you need swiss-army-knife-like car to actually get a good rating here because its just 5 point to score per category without an actual weighting or something like that...
love the TEST/DRIVE series. keep 'em coming.
I think the /Drive staff just got together a warehouseful of random cars they could loan from dealerships, then gave the presenters the keys to the warehouse and said "Earn your keep"
Not complaining, it's quite nice to see more variety :)
They are press cars, cars designated to be "checked out" for journalists to review, like library books. Dealerships don't lend out cars.
I honestly have no clue how car journalism works, good job on the videos though :)
warfl4g
You confuse me.
There are quattro versions of everything that Audi makes.
It just means it's 4WD.
Yes, back in the day it was special and unique and rallylike, nowadays it's kinda meh...
Any review chris does turns into gold
- /CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS
I'd love to see a back to back between the A4 and a Passat.
Pointless thing to say 'BMW 6 cylinder is a nicer motor' We're taking 4 cylinder here, it's a different category performance and price wise.. In fact both merc and bmw despite being newer have less powerful 2litre engines and 6 cylinder Audi beats
6 cylinder BM in terms of performance. Look s4 vs 335i.
Exactly
Luke K Preach
This car is fantastic for what it is! Well balanced, sporty daily driver that still looks relevant!
Finally, He is back!
I have one. After 8 years, it still looks good.
Must be one of the slowest cars we have seen Chris drive :D
Chevy Volt
Im from sweden and thanks for the insults :)
warfl4g
As an American, I want to disagree.... but he's kinda right.
I'm not American, but I do live here, and I can tell you that most people here couldn't live without and automatic car. They like to multitask a lot while driving, and putting a manual tranny on a vehicle would make things really difficult for most of them.
***** Very true. A lot of people here think you're silly for buying a luxury car in manual. Also, most dealers don't keep manual cars on the lot to test drive.
If this A4 was REAR WHEEL DRIVE the driver would be nutting all over his self saying how much better it was than a bimmer or merc. So sick of these people saying Audi is not as good as the aforementioned because all they want to do is drift and slide sideways like a juvenile 2 year old child! BULLSHIT!
Love my Audi A4, can take it just about anywhere and I enjoy the comfortability along with a sporty performance to ensure both a fun and comfortable ride. A jack of all trades imho
In what ways do merc and BMW do it better? I wish that was explained more in detail, since this is probably why majority of us watch this review. To see, which one is better of these three and why.
What do you think about a 2012 Audi S4 instead of the 2014 A4?
I really love jow the presenters have been comparing the NVH on all the cars and the pther factor that an everyday drive consist of...the content is bang on all the videos
How long can you keep this up
I mean i have no complaints for quality videos but damn they are coming out fast
Background music please?
Anything with Chris Harris is a must see ! Glad to see him in more clips. It was just not enough to see him weekly. Thank you /Drive !
I think i have a guy crush on him...whatever that is. It started when he reviewed my car (clio rs 2009) and he liked it.
Thanks you for the comparative review of the cars ( could we still have some specs) Thanks Chris! ( and Drive)
I have this engine in my A4, I got it chipped by Revo... Now has 307bhp with only a remap, try that Chris Haris
My dad has an A5 Sportback with the same engine but DSG instead. It's pretty rapid. Certainly a quality item, even if its not the latest in precision.
My dad has the new S5, probably the same gearbox (S-Tronic) and it's pretty impressive. Gorgeous exhaust note and the quattro system is incredible, you don't usually notice it, but we sure did when we tried launch control in a foot of snow.
Same, the 3.0 TDI Quattro 245 ps is a efficient beast! Im not that in love with the s5 because its not that powerful... the rs5 is an argument for me to not buy a diesel but not the s5. I personally drive the 2.0 TDI Quattro a4 avant which has "only" 177 ps but is still impressive as fuck. and a genious allrounder!
The Mercedes will never have a better clutch pedal.......
63% for one of the best in class ?
What is the top score then, 75%?
My mom has an A3 and we live in Florida, she's always bringing it back to get little bits replaced. The humidity and heat wrecks all the plastic-y bits, and minor electrical issues are irritating. I somehow broke the handle closing the door once, and it's the only way to close the door lol.
You guys are starting to sound an awful lot like car adverts!
Would say that comes from the fact that a car doesn't inspire Chriss for driving, doesn't tickle his ass you know
5 minutes of pure subjective, marketing oriented gibberish. I learned absolutely nothing from this video, thanks for wasting my time.
Join the debate on our new show 'torque cars'. If you like it the share it:
DCG1: torque cars episode 1
I definitely love your reviews Chris, please keep them coming.I particularly love this review due to owning an A4 Quattro 2.0t :)
As you mentioned, the Merc C-class and 3 series always seems to be a step ahead.perhaps you are right and I cant argue it with you.but None the less, the A4 looks a lot more stylish than the two that look like an old man's car design.
Liked the ranking bar graphs at the end
Please announce when there's Chris Harris on the car! And Chris when you review this totally normal cars try to do things you always do and we love! For example my opinion of the audi can be different if it can be drifted by you!
I have a 2016 A4 Quattro spec’d just like this car but in silver. It’s been a gem to own for the last 2.5 years and 45,000mi. Haven’t had a single problem now at 85,000mi.
Need more videos of chris gibing this info on cars his info goes a long way
Name of the track please?
Excellent review
How much power does that 2.0t make 265?
What's going on with DRIVE ?
All these short videos on VAG products, I can't help but have the impression of viewing an info-mercial !
I love the A4!
What is the name of the music in this?
And the B5 still looks good today.
Now I'm back to not getting these videos again. If there's going to be comparisons, at least test drive the comparisons your comparing so that we can see how they stack up. Unless i'm just jumping the gun here & there'll be a C Class and 3 series review comin shortly!
Chris, now that it seems that you're hanging in California a lot, you should pop into Joe Rogan experience. He had Matt Farah already in, and said that he would really want you there!
Can you guys test/drive some cheaper cars, like under 30k? And even some under 20k. Thanks.
where's the /TUNED that I love? im still stuck on that red E30. since then i keep looking for a cheap one to buy and tune. literally changed my life.
Tuned goes up every single monday, like always. We had a new episode this past monday.
How about the Cadillac ATS? Do a review on that.
Not surprised by his comments considering how old this B8 generation is now. It debuted back in 2009 and has had very few changes since then. The new B9 is due out in another year or so.
My Audi is been running for 11 years now 😊
Why is the Lock/unlock button on the door constantly flashing?
LED lights appear to flash like that when you film them. The same goes for the DRL "LED Strips" that the R8 started and now appear on many other cars.
Chris, the W202 C class was produced a year before the A4 was.
Judging from the fact that we have the same place in all the videos, filming vantage points are identical and that Chris, Matt and Musto are all in these videos, I'm guessing that they've shot all of them back to back in one afternoon after getting all the cars together. Am I right, Drive? :)
I think I recall somebody mentioning they filmed this batch of TEST/DRIVE videos over 2days.
We did 30 of these over 2 days.
Paulo Nascimento The 370Z was terrible, the Escape was nice but WAY too expensive, the Corvette sucked (because it was basically a rental-spec version), and that's really all that stands out at this point. We did so many it was kind of a blur.
welcome to carbuyer:(..... all its missing is the bottle test:(, i miss the old drive channel:(
You kind of make me want to go out right now and buy an a4.
I'd be interested to see a future review of the A3 sedan in comparison to this. I really think the A3 sedan is going to touch on a mark that the old A4 had.
Yea, I agree. I have a 2008 A4 quatrro and it's way more fun to drive than the new A4. What I really wanted was an A3 quattro for the hatch, but they are pretty much impossible to find as a CPO in Southern CA, or were at the time I bought my car.
If I was going to buy another Audi sedan, I would get a CPO A6 with the 3.0T. THAT is a machine and a half. Wife gets the next car, though and she voted for the TT.
For an average in class ranking, it makes me curious what products constitute highly recommended and must have. What metrics define that for this price point?
I tend to question reviews of budget level products once a person has experience with much higher end products. I assume the review isn't done on an absolute scale, or at least they don't really seem to be for the mix of car reviews I've seen so far. The goal seems to be where does the car fit within its class. However, I always question how much bias exists from the absolute scale once a person must come down to a more budget level product and then compare that against other budget level products within a similar market segment and price level.
In the end, which products do better and specifically why?
It would be nice to see more technical comparison between cars. One can say X is better than Y generically, but it doesn't really convey specific details that would be useful for a potential buyer. I watch these reviews and tend to come away from them asking why did car X score the way it did? I don't know because the details tend to lack a little bit. It becomes useful to include both more raw data and direct comparison of behavior/feel.
For example, you say BMW and Mercedes do better for driver enjoyment. Why? It's not explained in the video. Are the bushings and mounts in the Audi softer and creates more isolation and disconnect from the driving experience? Are the controls and inputs less crisp and precise? Is the brake bite and modulation vague and decreases confidence? You and your coworkers have enough knowledge of cars that you should be able to get into some specific detail on the good and bad of a car and pull out specifics to really highlight a car's unique traits or faults. The reviews tend to come out slightly soft in information.
Sometimes it's not about pure information but rather how information is presented. One can cleverly describe an aspect of a car that speaks volumes of the car's design, feel, or performance without having to go into great detail or really dig into specifics.
I will give an interesting example. I enjoyed the Porsche Panamera review, and I want to highlight one tidbit from that review. Mike talks about the button placement as intuitive in that he can simply guess where a button is without looking and he's almost always right. This is an abstract presentation that speaks volumes about the ergonomics of the car and controls layout while investing very little time.
Then again, these do seem to purposely be short reviews, and maybe that's the rub. You end up constrained in what can be presented and what can be compared within that time frame. I also don't know how much time you get with the cars and how much time you have to make the reviews. I don't even know if these are one take bits or you have time to plan out the discussion and make use of several takes to fully develop the review. I just don't know your constraints when producing these test/drive videos. All I know is I'm often left wanting to know more and feeling like the cars are only half explained. These reviews are entertaining, and I enjoy that they are a part of the Drive network, but I question their usefulness to the audience if it presents only half way.
music is kind of intrusive guys
Audi builds good race cars. Why can't they transfer some driveability to road cars... Audis look very good, it's a shame they don't drive as well.
Unlike BMW, most of Audi's winning race cars aren't based on road cars. A company can throw unlimited resources just to make one thing right, but it's hard for them to make everything right. LFA and TS020 are great examples.
Because that's not their aim.
Hell, look at the original Quattro. They didn't take the Quattro rallying to show people that they can make race cars. They took the Quattro rallying to show people that 4WD (or AWD if you've lost a wheel) doesn't have to be a heavy and cumbersome beast like a Geländerwagen or a Defender 110.
Audi, quattro, and S/RS have never been about precision and driveability. They've only been about accessibility. The BMW M3 is fun to drive, the C63 AMG is an adrenaline-rush on wheels, and the RS5 makes going quickly easy and effortless.
Personally if it was for everyday driving, I'd go Audi (and then save up for a Z4 or a secondhand Boxter for some weekend fun).
Thank you for proving my point once again. Yes, Audi is capable to make one single successful model. And yet again, Group B rally cars are completely different from road cars. Just as DTMs.
Take Meercedes, they have made icons like 190E, Silver Arrow, CLK AMG, McLaren's, and they defined "German Racing Silver". Mercedes also supplies engines for Pagani and etc.
Meanwhile, BMW's M3's are constantly winning races, no matter in which form, in factory or private teams, ever since the E30 chassis. BMW also made the best F1 engine M12/13 in the late 80s. McLaren F1, world's fastest NA production car, is powered by BMW.
Go to a track day, see what cars are on the track. Pull up NASA's track record of ANY track, you won't be surprised to see no Audis on the lists.
Going fast is not easy, no matter in which car.
TurboSpeeder
Well maybe not easy. But effortless.
That's always been the whole point of quattro. To make sure you've always got the traction to accelerate, decelerate and corner.
And why would I look for track days? That clearly was never the Audi roadcar domain (unless one counts the R8 GT).
If anything I'd look for which of the three German cars (Audi, BMW, Mercedes) will get me home in relative comfort while the roads are covered in snow.
EDIT:
You mustn't confuse ineptitude, with indifference.
TurboSpeeder Audi supplied engines for KTM's XBow, and Gumpert's Apollo
Anybody knows song name?
I've had my B5 S4 for 7 years now I will never sell it
Chris Harris, I'm waiting for your Mk7 Golf R review, but I'm hoping that one will be the type you turn the ESP off and try to get it as sideways as possible. I would also be cool to watch you drift a C7 Corvette Stingray Z51 in manual guise (I know you got tortured with an automatic last time).
you can't fully defeat the ESP in Volkswagens. It's infuriating.
What's going on with Chris Harris on "DRIVE"???!! He doesn't appear in Theron new videos....
Please re-do this Review and take along the 3 series and C class. Do it in Michigan in the winter. Even take the 328xi and the C300 4MATIC. The A4 would be the head of the class! Trust me I test drove all 3....and I own a 2013 A4 2.0T!
Bring back 'CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS'!!!!! Sorry bro but much preferred the way you did your shows before Christmas. I used to look forward to the fortnightly upload because I knew when I saw your name I was going to get an interesting unique video and commentary that in my opinion was simply the very best on the whole internet...and with big hitters like Autocar, Evo, Motortrend (and the like) that's saying a lot! This new stuff..., it's not rubbish, but you seem somehow constrained by the new format. It doesn't suit you or Matt Farra. You guys need to get back to doing your own thing.
I'm not sure why you'd mention performance not being great when there are the S4 and the RS4 to compare to other 6 or 8 cylinder cars. A base C class and a base 3 series are not fast at all and don't have many features for the price, not to mention they don't look all that great (although the CLA does so future Mercedes might look great).
Nice Review.
It must be painful for Chris to review this Audi...
My brother in law drives an Audi A6 Avant Black Edition Quatro. Audi A6 Black Edition's are not made for the USA, Europe only.
The ranking for all the different cars is just not right.
Wtf happened to wed with Chris Harris :(
i'd still take a beemer over this any day, every day.
Great review, except that the ratings surprisingly upset my mojo. I understand this is a review and not your usual C.H gig, but i'd prefer the ratings be left out.
With BMW, Mercedes, and Audi in this class, lets be honest, it's more about which brand you like. Of course car x will feel better if that's the brand you like. The arguments below are just fanboys.
In this almost 5m Video, The Bar Graphs started showing up as soon as 3m o.O
Really dislike this presentation and there seems to be 'less' in video review.
Drive, please stop doing this. I'm sure there are some people who enjoy these bullet point reviews, but this is a step back for you. I can get this kind of generic information from any of a ton of automotive sources already, some arguably better at it. I watch Drive to get content I won't get anywhere else. Don't delude your awesome product.
This must be the bread and butter of the brand.
sensible is perfect for describing this car.
I love you Chris Harris, but I hate to say that this review and the one yesterday from Mike Musto are a little bit lacking in details. I like the short and sweet, but at least give a couple performance specs and maybe engine specs...?
Those rims look nice.
B8.5 a4 looks more aggressive than B9 A4.
wow, this look just like mini a8.
Yes!!! Chris Harris
For God's sake, if you are going to have Chris Harris do reviews, let him do it in his own style, not these generic ones that TEST/DRIVE does. Anyone else can do these reviews. Save Chris's talent for more material on CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS
Drive, I really appreciate your guys' willingness to evolve your programming and to try new things, but these past couple weeks have been a bit of a disappointment. If I want pure facts, I'll watch (and fall asleep) watching KBB or Consumer Reports' videos. You guys have always stood for more in the content you bring to the viewer.
Background music
Whoa, 1:04 and 2:38 , Scooby-Doo moment. You guys seriously didn't have enough footage for a 5 minute video? :)
I have nothing against the A4 but I bought a 2014 Audi S4 instead & loving this car everyday.
The A4 seems the most luxury biased car of the class. It's just a nice car, it's not an amazing driver like the RWD BMW or Merc, but it's a nice handsom well built sedan. If they stopped pushing sportiness so much and sorted out the suspension rather than the current not so good setup, it'd be perfect.
Not a bad car but I'd still go for a 3series, it's just a car that's better suited to sporty driving, even the 4door. Great vid Chris.
But speedometers show that Audi is somehow faster
Why would you review a car in its last year before a complete redesign? That's the equivalent of putting the last gen steel "Rangey" against the new Cayenne just before they came out with the new aluminum model.
I hope these style reviews are not replacing Chris Harris' videos from last year. He is really good but this format is hopefully for regular cars.
The music is a bit grandiose at the start. And seems to me Audi only makes one car in different sizes. They pretty much all look exactly the same.
And Mercedes C, E, S classes, and BMW 3, 4, 5 look all spectacularly different and unique?
kevinmsft Most companies look similar, brand recognition - The difference I think is that Audi preserves their beautiful design across the line up, while BMW and Mercedes (especially 2011+) ends up absolutely butchering certain models
kevinmsft I can look through thermal sights and notice the difference between a T-72 and a T-55 at 2000 meters but I cannot tell modern audis apart to save my life. They literally all look the same just have slightly different dimensions.
ellomirza So then your admission is that you prefer to have your Mercs appear to have been designed with a Toyota-Hyundai style approach/theme? Because those in the know can see it.. you don't? cmon who ya kiddin'!?
johnny rex How did you gather that?
Jump to wild ass conclusions much?
Sorry! Here he is!! No more subtitle though
why so shorttt?
¿Still tho, mi, we, gusta? ¿n°?
Same car but with automatic gearbox has Launch control, and it is an incredible feeling, when you can drive off the line from 99% of the cars in city traffic!!! 6.5 sec to 100 in a family sedan with just a little more than 200 hp!
5.7 launched actually.
yea, my bad
Audio mixing could use some work in some spots. Tough to hear the speech with the downtempo atmospheric crap in the background. Little more info on the car's capabilities would be great, this was too short.
Changing the reviewer for these vvideos make it highly subjective and makes it difficult because you do not have the same baseline for comparison. Please give it a little thought and keep Chris or whoever for these video reviews. All the best for you guys at /Drive.
too late, they have all been filmed already.
TheSmokingTire At least thanks for the info Matt. :) Nice video with the Samurai. Love that tiny rock climber.